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Saturday, October 31, 2015

#SayTheirNames #Shakara #NiyaKenny #TonyRobinson #BlackGirlsMatter #BlackLivesMatter




Her Name is Shakara
While some students chose to cooperate with oppression by protesting in support of a brutal white police officer–one who used his authority to beat a defenseless Black girl, other students—Shakara, Niya Kenny and Tony Robinson, Jr., chose to protest in the face of injustice, with threats of physical harm and punishment to themselves. As Martin Luther King said in Letter From Birmingham Jail, “One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all.’”

EYE believe the Children are our HOPE for the future of our republic.  "Teach them well and let them lead the way."
Unfortunately, rhetoric DOES NOT save us, nor does it give confidence to black voters that we can trust Hillary to prioritize the necessity of ensuring our safety,” the group said. “We’ve been waiting for weeks to see the platform that addresses these issues from Hillary Clinton’s campaign. We will wait no more.”

havealittletalk said...
Honestly Redeye, if I were black I don't think I'd have the courage to have children in this country.


BOO! 

Friday, October 30, 2015

EYE owe Rep. Terri Sewell, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus and others, an apology

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell.jpg
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell

Never,  EYE repeat, Never, let it be said EYE won't admit when EYE make a mistake, or,  that EYE refuse to correct factually incorrect information . That said,  EYE owe Congresswoman Terri Sewell, the NAACP, and the Congressional Black Caucus , a mega apology for accusing them wasting time/resources requesting a DOJ investigation into the DMV closings in Alabama. Without an investigation, we the taxpayers, would have never known  Alabama faces a lawsuit from the Department of Justice because it is not in compliance with the National Voter Registration Act – and never has been.

What is the National Voter Registration Act Alabama is not in compliance with you ask?
According to the National Voter Registration Act, also known as the “motor voter” law, citizens must be given the opportunity to register to vote when they renew their drivers license, apply for Medicaid or have other interactions with the state government. States across the old Confederacy have run afoul of this law in recent years, withNorth Carolina and Texas failing to process voter registrations in their DMVs and leading many eligible voters to be denied ballot access.
According to the Star, Alabama hasn’t completely ignored the law for 22 years. Rather, they had been implementing the law incorrectly, and in a way that has almost certainly led to fewer Alabamans registering to vote. Rather than allowing citizens to fill out one form, which served as both their drivers license application and voter registration, the state had been giving citizens a separate card that they were supposed to fill out and mail in, rather than submitting it to the DMV on site.
EYE guess EYE should also thank the Red, Republican, controlled state Legislature for making photo ID mandatory for voting then close  then DMV offices in the Black Belt, your plan almost worked.
Via Charles Thomas at Demos "Actually, this helps clarify why Alabama closed Driver's License offices in 31 counties. If getting your driver's license automatically triggers voter registration (provided that you are of age to vote), then Alabama doesn't want it to be easy to get a driver's license in counties with large African-American populations -- which is the case in the 31 counties where the offices were closed. That would enable more Black folks to vote. Shenanigans like this and many others are what prompted adoption of the Voting Rights Act in the first place. Will this cause the Supreme Court to revise its finding that the prior review provision of the VRA is no longer necessary? We shall see. If not, that will make it even clearer the the Court is now willing to connive in racist policies." #RestoreTheVRA
Please accept my humble and sincere apologies.  Thank you for requesting an investigation, and a mega thank you to the Department of Justice for granting the request.
The National Voter Registration Act is more than 20 years old and allows voter registration at the same office people can receive or renew their drive licenses or other public assistance. But, according to AL.com, Alabama has never been compliant with the Motor Voter Act.
You done good, but you might want to check on this while you're at it.

RedEye

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Update: It's the White Wing Media




Don't expect the media to tell the truth about "Officer Slam's" Assault on a teen age girl.
Not many news agencies have reported, or even wondered why she was asked to leave in the first place. As it turns out she had momentarily looked at her phone during class, and apologized for it at the time. Nor have they wondered why the phone issue, which she had already put away, escalated to an administrator and then the now fired school resource officer who had a reputation around the campus as "Officer Slam" for his tendency to throw students to the ground, assaulted her in the first place. They say she was "disruptive and disrespectful" but witnesses state that she was arguing that she'd done nothing wrong, which actually she hadn't. Before Slamster even approached the student he had another student move his desk and clear a path, then removed the Chromebook that was on her desk - so he planned from the moment he entered the room to assault her regardless of anything she did or didn't do.

 It's the white male dominated media. 
Lacking these voices, the ability of the media to serve the public interest is itself compromised. “The news media is not only failing to serve the communities but the country at large when they fail to reflect what’s going on in communities of color,” said the late Dori J. Maynard, former President of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, in a piece for The Atlantic regarding the failure of newsrooms to diversify. The type of coverage that gets chosen by editorial staffs then reinforces stereotypes rather than clarifying the news. This is apparent in the different ways white subjects and Black subjects are portrayed, such as Black victim Michael Brown, who “struggled with police before shooting,” versus white Aurora shooter James Eagan Holmes, remembered as a “brilliant science student.”
EYE report.

YOU decide
“The way that the students and the teacher were so lackadaisical about the whole thing. Nobody screamed, nobody stood up,” she said. “It looks like something that’s been going on in that school for a long time.”~Jill Scott

You think? 
“We’ve been in dialogue with the school district, the superintendent and anyone that will hear us concerning many issues,” said the Rev. Hugh Harmon, the chairman of the group, the Richland Two Black Parents Association (RTBPA). “The issue with a lot of parents is the disproportionate way in which expulsions and suspensions were being doled out to young men that look like myself.”
The group, consisting of nearly 6,000 parents, was formed about three years ago in response to parents’ concerns about punishments targeting black students. Monday’s arrest, according to the RTBPA, was simply the latest example.
“The unfortunate actions of this police officer has revealed what many African-American parents have experienced in this district for a very long time,” the group said in a statement Monday.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Light Bulb Moment! It's not about saving money, It's about the Motor Voter Law! #VoterSuppression #RestoreTheVRA #SweetHomeAlabama


Even with its strict voter-ID law, more than 30 offices in the state are set to close.
EYE had one of those lightbulb moments while perusing Facebook today.  All of sudden the fog lifted and EYE could see clearly.  You see,  EYE kept wondering why the Justice Department was threatening to sue Alabama in September for failing it's obligation to voters.  What obligation?, EYE asked.  Then it hit me... Alabama did not comply with the Motor Voter law, which explains why the red, republican controlled legislature closed DMV offices in 31 counties, that just so happen to be predominately black, under the guise of saving money. Nod Nod Wink Wink

This comment via Demos Facebook page spells it out loud and clear with links inserted for clarity: 
Actually, this helps clarify why Alabama closed Driver's License offices in 31 counties. If getting your driver's license automatically triggers voter registration (provided that you are of age to vote), then Alabama doesn't want it to be easy to get a driver's license in counties with large African-American populations -- which is the case in the 31 counties where the offices were closed. That would enable more Black folks to vote. Shenanigans like this and many others are what prompted adoption of the Voting Rights Act in the first place. Will this cause the Supreme Court to revise its finding that the prior review provision of the VRA is no longer necessary? We shall see. If not, that will make it even clearer the the Court is now willing to connive in racist policies.
In other news, Judge Myron Thompson has ordered the State of Alabama to resume funding of Planned Parenthood. Now let's see if Governor Bentley is going to comply or defy...

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

In order to solve the problem, you have to identify the problem #BenFields, #SpringValleyHigh




EYE don't care if you are black, white, male, female, rich, poor, young, old, republican or democrat, if you defend the actions of Spring Valley High School SRO #BenFields , you are the problem

If you blame the victims for their assault/arrest at Spring Valley High School, you are the problem.

If you are a classroom teacher who can't manage your classroom without calling the SRO,  you are the problem.

If you are a member school of the school board that hired officer #BenFields, you are the problem.

If you are the police officer who arrested the only person with the courage to stand up to police brutality and oppression, you are the problem.

If you believe #BlackLivesMatter activist create the call to kill cops , you are the problem.

If you would rather investigate than legislate, you are the problem.

If you believe restraint by cops in the wake of criticism is at least partly to blame for a surge in violent crime in some cities, you are the problem.

If you sit back, say or do nothing, while unarmed black men/women/children are being brutalized and killed in the United States of America,  you are the problem.

Monday, October 26, 2015

What if this were YOUR daughter/sister/cousin/friend #OfficerBenFields, Sir? #SpringValleyAssault #SomebodysChild


What if this were Ray Rice or Adrian Peterson mainstream media?

It's the McKinney Pool Party all over again.

What gets me is we are supposed to remain calm hope justice will be served, because if protest it will be called a riot.

#JusticeOrElse
#NotOneDime

Psst Joe Reed, Nancy Worley, and the SDEC...This open letter is for Y-O-U

dems.jpg

Dear Above All,
It's me, RedEye, as you know, EYE am a big supporter of you and your leadership, that's why it really pains me to write this letter.  My Daddy used to tell my siblings and me he would support us 100% if were done wrong, but he wouldn't support us if we were doing wrong.  EYE hate to tell you this, but you are doing Artur Davis wrong.  You can't allow the other traitors/infiltrators  back into the party, then stand in the party door when it comes to him.  You just can't.  

Let Artur Davis slink back in too, but let this be a lesson learned....once they leave don't let them back in.  None of them.  Apply the Radney Rule equally.    As a matter of fact, you might want to re-examine this "big tent" meme too. Stop letting any and everybody under the tent.  In case you haven't noticed the right side of the fence is fighting against the left side of the tent, making the whole damn tent fall down.

I'm glad you aren't falling for the diversity scheme, I mean, meme, but you have to be more careful about some of these democrats whose main purpose is to prevent democrats from living up to their agenda.  Am I talking about a purity test?  No.  I'm talking about a loyalty test.  You are either for the democratic agenda, all of it, or you are against the democratic agenda.  It's that simple.

If we could get the pseudo democrats out of the party we would be OK.  It's time to let the democratic wing of the democratic party take charge.  When all the fingers on the hand work together it forms a mighty fist.

Your friend,
RedEye

Friday, October 23, 2015

Edited~ EYE guess it depends on what the definition of an " asset" IS

True to his promise, former Alabama Congress Critter Artur Davis has taken his case to the republican controlled courts in his quest to become a democrat again.  The conventional wisdom claims he is arrogant and didn't grovel enough , which explains why he is being treated differently from other party switchers.  

Let's go inside the  Artur Davis  lawsuit. Emphasis mine
The suit states Davis "declared his willingness to advocate for principles and views associated with the Democratic Party, and to offer material support for Democratic candidates."
Davis said the party didn't grant waiver because "he failed to demonstrate that he would be an asset to the Democratic Party."
Davis says the Democratic Party doesn't define what "asset" is, and it shouldn't be ground for denying his admittance.
The party "unconstitutionally violated Davis' due process rights because he has been denied a Radney Rule exemption or waiver where other, similarly-situated candidates have been granted Radney Rule exemptions," the lawsuit states.
According to dictionary.com an asset is defined as a useful, thing, person, or quality.  What is the Alabama Democratic Party's definition?  If it's the same as dictionary.com, are they saying Davis failed to prove he was a useful, thing, person, or quality?  If so, what makes him any less of a useful thing, person, or quality than Parker Griffin?  

As far as the arrogant and begging forgiveness charges, according to Parker Griffin he didn't have to jump through the loops Artur Davis is being required to jump through, he just sneaked, I mean, walked right on in. Emphasis mine.
Griffith said that while he wasn't at home with the national Democratic Party or with tea party Republicans, he figured he had been at home with Alabama Democrats. He contacted state Democratic Party Vice Chairman Joe Reed about returning. After a letter and some meetings, the party's executive committee let him return, but not by a unanimous vote.
At the time, Reed was trying to help the state Democratic Party keep its Montgomery headquarters open while facing more than $500,000 in debt.
"A Democrat said to me, 'Did you have to write him a $600,000 check to get the party out of debt?' I said, 'No, it never came up,'" Griffith said.
EYE guess biting the hand that feeds you is an asset
Griffith, 72, said he would be willing to serve as an interim party chairman to try to unite Democrats, but he has no interest in a long-term leadership position.
In his view, new leadership must craft an image for the Alabama Democratic Party that appeals to the white, blue-collar males who have switched to the GOP. For him, that means getting away from the national party's support of abortion, gun control and gay marriage.
"We've got to separate ourselves from the far left in Washington, D.C.," he said.
Reed said he supports Worley, and Griffith need not anticipate a call to lead the party.
"No one is going to turn the party over to him, no sir," Reed said.
 
There are some in the ADP who refuse to see that Artur Davis is being punished more harshly than other party switchers.  Again, other than the obvious there is not a dimes worth of difference between Artur Davis and Parker Griffin.  Allow me to refresh the memory of those who are trying to rewrite history with a stroll down Memory Lane.
Read all of our coverage of Parker Griffith's party switch 
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee wants Parker Griffith contributions back
Parker Griffith: Democrats 'do not share my values' 
Artur Davis: It's ironic that Parker Griffith joining party that bashed him in 2008 
Republicancandidates for Congress speak up after Parker Griffith's switch to GO
Griffith's switch to GOP 'a pleasant surprise,' Rep. Mike Hubbard says
State Democratic party feels 'betrayed' by Parker Griffith, asks for campaign donations back
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt welcomes Griffith to the Republican fold
A look at Parker Griffith's voting record
Political Web site says U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, will join GOP today
EYE think EYE have figured out what is wrong with the Alabama Democratic Party...they are really Dixiecrats.  They had no problem with Artur Davis when he pandered to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base when he was running for Governor, but now it's a problem.  It's also why he will probably win in court. If the ADP were smart, and EYE am not saying they are, they would let him back in and let the voters decide his fate.  Again.  
All told, Davis is requesting the court uphold his assertions that the term "asset" is unconstitutionally vague and his denial was an unfair double standard.
It is what it is.  It just is

Assets in black and white:  The man who should have been at the top of the democratic ticket but wasn't speaks truth to power at the Madison County Democratic  Party fundraiser last week, and GOP Congress Critter Martha Roby makes Alabama Proud.

 Not.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

RedEye's #SweetHomeAlabama Rundown #BloodSuckers #DMV #VoterSuppression #BlackBelt #DebtorsPrison #ArturDavis #ParkerGriffin


B-But Black on Black Crime....It's not about the Blood-Sucking Judge, it's about the Blood-Sucking SYSTEM.  So, the Concern Trolls have their knickers in a knot because Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins offered  people the option of donating blood to pay their fines, or go to jail for non violent offenses.  Instead of concentrating on the fact people were put in the position of paying with blood  they chose to concentrate on Judge Wiggins.  Sigh
Arrestees that are too poor to afford the bond money - $500 for each misdemeanor charge - must remain in jail until the following Tuesday, when they appear via video conference from the jail at the city's only weekly court session, according to the lawsuit.
Last Friday, the U.S. DOJ filed a "statement of interest" in the case, in which they agreed to help provide the court a framework to assess the plaintiff's claim of an unlawful bail scheme.
The statement of interest does not take a position on Varden's claims. But U.S. DOJ Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement that the "criminal justice system should not work differently for the indigent and the wealthy."
"Bail practices that create a two tiered system of justice by treating the indigent and the wealthy differently undermine fundamental fairness in our nation's criminal justice system," she stated.
Sirrus XM radio host Joe Madison constantly reminds his audience to go inside the story and to listen with a third ear so let's do just that.   Judge Marvin Wiggins is a judge in the 4th Circuit in Alabama. He has served in this position since January 19, 1999, following his election in 1998.  Judge Wiggins was also removed  from the Alabama State University Board of Trustees by Governor Robert Bentley last year.  Hmmm

Maybe Judge Wiggins was trying not to end up like his fellow 4th Circuit Judge Jo Celeste Pettway who was suspended without pay after a complaint was filed against her for get this...emphasis mine
The complaint alleges Pettway was slow to rule on small claims cases, did not follow the law, has a disorganized court and is biased towards defendants – or debtors – in the small claims cases.
Can you imagine being suspended for 90 days without pay?   As my Daddy used to say we are all just one pay check away from poverty.  But maybe that's the plan...

Everybody is wrong about the Alabama DMV office closings  & why it matters.   It's not about the Voter ID card, it's about registered voters being required to obtain a special ID card in order to exercise their right to vote.  There is no right way to do the wrong thing.  Congress should restore the Voting Rights Act, and the Alabama State Legislature should repeal the Voter ID Bill.  Problem solved

If the Alabama Democratic Party can forgive Parker Griffin, they have to forgive Artur Davis.  They just do.  There are some in the ADP who refuse to see that Artur Davis is being punished more harshly than other party switchers.  Again,  other than the obvious there is not a dimes worth of difference between Artur Davis and Parker Griffin.  Allow me to refresh the memory of those who are trying to rewrite history with a stroll down Memory Lane.
Read all of our coverage of Parker Griffith's party switch 
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee wants Parker Griffith contributions back
Parker Griffith: Democrats 'do not share my values' 
Artur Davis: It's ironic that Parker Griffith joining party that bashed him in 2008Republican

candidates for Congress speak up after Parker Griffith's switch to GO

Griffith's switch to GOP 'a pleasant surprise,' Rep. Mike Hubbard says

State Democratic party feels 'betrayed' by Parker Griffith, asks for campaign donations back

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt welcomes Griffith to the Republican fold

A look at Parker Griffith's voting record

Political Web site says U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, will join GOP today
EYE think EYE have figured out what is wrong with the Alabama Democratic Party...they are really Dixiecrats.  They had no problem with Artur Davis when he pandered to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base when he was running for Governor, but now it's a problem.  It's also why he will probably win in court.  If the ADP were smart, and EYE am not saying they are, they would let him back in and let the voters decide is fate.  Again.  
All told, Davis is requesting the court uphold his assertions that the term "asset" is unconstitutionally vague and his denial was an unfair double standard.
It is what it is.  It just is. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Other than the obvious, what is the difference between Artur Davis and Parker Griffin?

Griffith/Boehner Protest Liberals
H/T Left in Alabama: Parker Griffin sneaks into his own fundraiser
So, some (not to be confused with all) democrats (and EYE use that term loosely) are bragging they told former Alabama Congress Critter Artur Davis to drop dead by selectively enforcing the Radney Rule on the grounds he was not sincere.  

Again, EYE am not defending Artur Davis the person.  EYE am merely pointing out the hypocrisy/double standard.  There are some who say Davis is demanding to be reinstated in the party, but EYE argue he is demanding to be treated fairly/equally.  The same adjectives used to describe Artur Davis are the same adjectives used to describe Parker Griffin and the other defectors.
Davis says that if the Democrats can forgive Griffith, they should be able to forgive him.
In fact, Davis says that he can't find an instance in the last decade when a party-switcher wasn't allowed back into the Democratic ranks. It's only basic fairness that they allow him back in, too, he says.
"They don't have to support me in this race," he says. In fact, they can work very hard for other candidates."
But one thing is clear, there has been bad blood between Davis and Democratic Party boss Joe Reed. Reed has opposed Davis in almost every move in his career, and there's no reason to believe Reed will change his attitude this time.
If that happens, Davis could take the party to court, where Reed and others could be forced to testify about why they let Griffith and others back in. And that is why everyone should be paying attention. If Davis has to kick in the door, there's no telling what the voting public might see revealed on the other side.
EYE hate to say it, but Dr. Joe Reed just handed his democratic detractors  a loaded gun.  

It's not just time for new leadership, because that would imply that there was some at the state level.
But, it's certainly time for Nancy Worley to go immediately and she should take the minority caucus chair Joe Reed with her.
Like many other Alabama Democrats, I have been loath to criticize fellow party members particularly as the party struggles in a deeply red state, but things have simply gone too far for way too long. Worley and Reed have spent all their time fighting over which members of their entourage get the best chairs on the deck of the Titanic.
They have done nothing to craft a clear and concise message about what Alabama Democrats stand for and have systematically alienated scores of traditional, base constituency groups.
During meetings, they have stifled debate and manipulated proceedings to ensure that only people of their choosing have a seat on the state executive committee.
 The State Executive Committee has the obligation to apply the rules equally.  They just do.  Let Artur Davis back in. Let him run on the democratic ticket.  The voters will decide his fate. Ask Parker Griffin.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Update~ "Want to see racism at work? Meet the Alabama Democratic Party."

Davis spoke at CPAC in 2013. (CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Davis spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2013. (CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Damn!  Damn!  Damn!  EYE hate being put in the position of having to defend Artur Davis. 
The Executive Board of the State Democratic Executive Committee on Friday denied former U.S. Congressman Artur Davis' request to move back to the party, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
Davis issued this statement to AL.com:"In anticipation of an adverse decision, I had already retained legal counsel. They will be filing a motion for a hearing in Circuit Court early next week and given that the timetable for certifying candidates is a few weeks away, we expect a prompt hearing. I will be asking the court to find that the party has applied one standard to my application and a different one to every other individual who has sought reinstatement. The party, under (Joe) Reed's directions, chose to violate its own commitment to fair and equal treatment, and that is a choice I have to fight."
EYE  really hate to say this....b-but he is right (no pun intended).  If the Alabama Democratic Party can forgive Parker Griffin they can forgive Artur Davis, because there is this little thingy the lawyers on TeeVee call precedent.
The Radney Rule was implemented to prevent Republicans from easily switching parties. It states that a candidate can’t have supported an opposing party in the past four years.However, Davis had never seen the board not approve a Republican so long as they came before the board for a hearing.“The board has to consider its history,” Davis said. “You have never denied any other candidate under this rule. That is a very powerful precedent.”A former lawyer, his argument was based on precedent. Namely, Parker Griffith, Greg Griffin and William Shashy among numerous others.
Clearly, there is a double standard
Griffith said that while he wasn't at home with the national Democratic Party or with tea party Republicans, he figured he had been at home with Alabama Democrats. He contacted state Democratic Party Vice Chairman Joe Reed about returning. After a letter and some meetings, the party's executive committee let him return, but not by a unanimous vote.
At the time, Reed was trying to help the state Democratic Party keep its Montgomery headquarters open while facing more than $500,000 in debt.
"A Democrat said to me, 'Did you have to write him a $600,000 check to get the party out of debt?' I said, 'No, it never came up,'" Griffith said.
Ask yourself this question:  Other than the obvious, what is the difference between Artur Davis and Parker Griffin?  

Never let it be said The Alabama Democratic Party doesn't have the power to exercise racism too.  Sigh
Racism is not the the sole domain of Republicans, Conservatives or Southerners. Not all racists pepper their conversation with the N-word or secretly desire the extermination of black and brown people. Racism is complex, multi-layered, and deeply rooted in the American story. Name calling is not helpful in uprooting racism, but neither is a false sense of moral superiority. "
Right is right, and fair is fair.  It's "with liberty and justice for ALL", not SOME.  Remember?  Is Artur Davis a traitor?  Yes.  Is Artur Davis arrogant?  Yes. Is Artur Davis an African American? Yes. Should he be afforded the same right to redemption given to the white, arrogant, traitors?  You Betcha. That's the democratic way.  If you let them back in, you've got to let Artur Davis back in too. You just do.
“A good Democrat will fight for equal treatment, and that is what I will be doing,” Davis said. “Judges are elected and not free from political pressure themselves, but I have to trust the legal system to put politics aside and look at the facts and the law."

Friday, October 16, 2015

What part of Republicans "don't want everybody to vote" don't you understand Brian? #VoterSupression

Brian said:
Is there any evidence that voter id laws suppress anybody's vote?
Is there any evidence that voter ID bills are written to hurt any group more than any other group?
Actually there is plenty of evidence Voter ID laws disenfranchise registered voters, but EYE want you to watch and listen carefully to this video so everyone knows what the plan IS.



What Yellowdog said:
I had to register to vote. Now I am on a list of eligible voters in my voting precinct/district. When I come up to the table, theres my name. I say "There I am." They mark me off - one name, one vote.
This is a sacred right to vote fought for by so many of our ancestors - and fought for us today. Finding ways to impede that simple process is denying fellow citizens the right to vote.

I imagine it is just a coincidence that minority Democratic voters are disproportionately targeted in this disenfranchisement. Even as prominent Republicans and conservatives say this is the purpose of requiring new identification to vote.
Even when you are registered and on the list right there, one name, one vote.
So I am denied my Constitutional right to vote because even though my name is right there, registered to vote, some Republican legislator decided I lose my vote cause I don't have the exact ID they want me to have? Or it expired yesterday? I'm obviously unqualified to vote as an American citizen because I don't have the same ID as you?
Our revered founding fathers believed only white male landholders had the "right to vote." I'm sure there are a lot of Republicans who long for the good old days.
"As the world's leading democracy, we must demand of ourselves what we demand of others -- a guaranteed right to vote for all." ~Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin

Thursday, October 15, 2015

#SweetHomeAlabama Governor Robert Bentley (r. Tuscaloosa) says the "outcry" over the racism of closing the DVM offices is "race politics at it's worse."

Alabama one of the most corrupt states in the country
Project much Governor?    EYE think balancing the budget on the backs of Alabama's Black Belt, refusing to expand Medicaid, signing a Voter ID Bill , closing DVM offices in the Black Belt, robbing the public education budget, and cutting off state funding to planned parenthood, preventing poor /black women from having access to a safe legal abortion is playing race politics at it's worst, but that' s just me.
"Alabama is not George Wallace's state. I don't want it to be George Wallace's state." said Bentley. "I want us to be inclusive. I don't want us to look at the color of people's skin. I don't want us to look at whether they are male or female. We are all Alabamians and I'm their governor. I know most of them (blacks in the affected counties losing driver's license offices) are not going to vote Republican. But you are not going to win people over by not being inclusive."
Psst Governor Bentley.....look in the mirror and say that so you can see how race politics at it's worse looks.   

Blaming the victim is so GOP.

The Soul, Science & Culture of HOPE


I attended this symposium last night. To say that Antwone Fisher's life story is poignant, tragic and inspiring really understates the truth. The event opened with Rick Miller describing the means and methods used to instill into each young person the gift of hope for their future as well as the tools to enable them to achieve their fullest potential.

And then, Antwone took the stage. He's a tall, slender man who obviously keeps himself in great physical shape. His voice is gentle, as he detailed the very troubled circumstances of his childhood. But there is humor, too, as he engaged his listeners.

Using clips from Denzel Washington;s directorial debut movie, Rick Miller illustrates key aspects of his youth development strategy "Kids at Hope - Every Child Can Succeed."

Throughout his childhood, Antwone, who is dyslexic, would express his emotions by writing them out, sometimes in the form of poetry, on scraps of paper (now a book of poetry), which he would then destroy. Here is one of Antwone's early poems, expressing his tumultuous past.


By Antwone Fisher


who will cry for the little boy?
Lost and all alone.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Abandoned without his own?


Who will cry for the little boy?
He cried himself to sleep.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He never had for keeps.


Who will cry for the little boy?
He walked the burning sand
Who will cry for the little boy?
The boy inside the man.


Who will cry for the little boy?
Who knows well hurt and pain
Who will cry for the little boy?
He died again and again.


Who will cry for the little boy?
A good boy he tried to be
Who will cry for the little boy?
Who cries inside of me.


As poignant as Antwone's poem is, he is but one; there are millions of children struggling to find the hope in their lives and for their future. They are our future, our national pride, just as Antwone is justifiably proud of being, as he told his mother, "a good man."

By adopting the Kids at Hope cultural strategic framework the following will be achieved:
Children become much more optimistic
Children not only understand the concept of hope, they can model it
Children learn and practice the power and self-fulfilling prophecy (belief system) of positive self talk (Kids at Hope Pledge)
Children learn about personal strength based inventory and practice it
Children’s academic and emotional achievement matures
Adults learn and practice the power of the self-fulfilling prophecy to support a child’s achievement
Adults learn and practice how to measure a child’s potential, not just their behavior (Kids at Hope Report Card)
Adults learn and practice how to instill hope in every child, without exception (Passport to the Future)
Adults learn and practice the types of meaningful and sustainable relationships needed by children (Aces)

And now, Antwone's work is to visit communities to inspire them in the soul, the science, and the culture of hope for development of their community's youth.

Brian wants to know "How would expanding Medicaid save money?"

Hundreds gathered at the Alabama State Capitol on May 31, 2014 to ask Gov. Robert Bentley to save lives and expand Medicaid in the state. They chanted, sang and told their stories. (Erin Edgemon/eedgemon@al.com)
Brian said:
How would expanding Medicaid save money? The Federal Government says it would pay for 100% of the expansion for the first three years of the expansion. Yes, Medicare has been expanded, but only the expansion is being paid for. After three years, the amount the federal government will pay for drops to 90%. 
How would expanding Medicaid save money?
EYE am glad you asked how Governor Bentley's refusal to expand Medicaid will cost the state of Alabama BILLIONS of dollars.
Alabama is one of fourteen states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance to low-income families. The Affordable Care Act provides support to expand Medicaid to include families that earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. The federal government will pay 100% of the costs for expanding Medicaid beginning in 2014 through 2016, and then gradually decrease support to 90% beginning in 2020.
A new study by the nonprofit research group, the RAND Corporation, shows the decision rejecting the expansion will cost these 14 states $1 billion more in spending on uncompensated care in 2016 alone, plus $8.4 billion annually in federal payments, and leave 3.6 million people without health insurance. The study's authors found that expanding Medicaid is "in the best economic interests of states."
Of course EYE don't expect you to believe expanding Medicaid is in the the best econominic interest of Alabama, but it's true.
In Alabama, Medicaid expansion would mean health care for about 300,000 additional people, most of whom will otherwise remain uninsured. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health estimate the expansion would generate nearly $20 billion in new income, which would mean $1.7 billion in additional tax revenue in state and local governments across the state.
EYE don't know what part of not expanding Medicaid is killing people you and our Doctor/Governor don't understand.
Experts estimate that expanding Medicaid in Alabama would save 550 lives each year. 
Alabama's governor, a doctor, rejected the Medicaid expansion option after the United States Supreme Court ruled that states can refuse to participate in that part of the new health care law. A recent poll shows that 64% of Alabama residents support expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income adults.
EYE thought Republicans were pro-life?

Oh, and if you don't believe the Equal Justice Initiative report, maybe you will believe this report by the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
In short, their analysis points to a win-win scenario for the state and Medicaid-eligible patients.
“Across the first seven years of Medicaid expansion, the net budgetary effect is positive throughout,” Becker said. “In a very real sense, the state makes money while expanding coverage to nearly 300,000 Alabamians.”
Under the PPACA, the federal government will cover 100 percent of health care expenditures from 2014 through 2016. During these first years of the program, Alabama would be responsible for a share of the administrative costs of the expansion. The federal matching rate declines after 2016, falling to 95 percent in 2017, 94 percent in 2018, 93 in 2019 and 90 percent in 2020. As a result, the annual costs to the state increase from $39 million in 2014 to $222 million in 2020 for a total of about $771 million.
However, during those same years, the federal government will spend an additional $11.7 billion more on Medicaid in Alabama.
“While this is a substantial increase in federal spending, it is new income flowing into Alabama,” Becker said. “Moreover, when physicians, hospital employees, pharmacists and other employees in the health care sector receive these new dollars, they spend them on gasoline and groceries and clothes. This second-round spending generates additional economic activity.”
Yes, Brian, Red States, not  expanding medicare  is actually killing people,  and costing the state  billions, but you already knew  that.
In an interview with AL.com, Greer asked "How important is a human life?"
"We have to fight back," she said. "It is not like we are asking for something unrealistic. (Health care) is a human right."
EYE hope this answers your question. 

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Balancing the Budget on the Backs of Alabama's Black Belt


Obama, Alabama officials pledge aid for white storm survivors, black storm storm survivors not so much.

If you look closely at the photograph attached to this diary of a VIP group walking with President Obama, I count nine individuals....Two in the front row, three in the middle row and four in the back, one of whom is barely visible as a pair of grey-trousered legs and the corner of a face. Two of them -- counting the President -- are non-white, one more may be.

The proportion of non-white persons in Alabama's population is about 29%, so 22%, or better 33%, persons of color (2 or 3 out of 9) would not be far out of line with the state population.

According to the same source, the proportion of persons in the population of Alabama who happen to be female is almost 52%. Female persons in the VIP group including President Obama: precisely zero.


Band Director Ryan Campbell watched his Sumter Central High School Tigers marching band strut last week on a field outside the gleaming new public high school in Sumter County.

"Where are the white kids?" a visitor asked.

"At the academy down the road," Campbell said, referring to private Sumter Academy.


And this is why Governor Bentley and the red, republican controlled state legislature robbed the public education budget to the tune of $80 million dollars.   This is why public schools (not to be confused with segregation academies) are failing, or should EYE say, being failed

If you're thinking of moving to Huntsville, or the State of Alabama I hope you don't have any k-12 school children. If you are not affluent enough to live in a neighborhood with the best public schools your tax dollars can buy, or afford to send your student to private schools, your children are tough out of luck, because of the sad, sorry state of separate and unequal education in Huntsville, and the state of Alabama. Over 50 years after Brown v. Board ordered schools to integrate Alabama is still the state of segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and it looks like segregation forever.

Officially, the news out of Alabama is this:


Alabama's Republican-controlled legislature and governor's office are committed to cutting the state's budget and the size of state government. That means the state will slice into the money available to a number of public agencies. And the Department of Public Safety, which includes the state's offices that issue driver's licenses, will simply have to take an $11 million hit. To make that math work, the agency will shutter driver's license offices in the state's most sparsely populated counties.



B-But it's not racial, it's just a coincidence the DMV offices slated for closing are in the Black Belt.  If it was really about saving money Governor Bentley would expand Medicaid.  But if he did that people who need access to health care the most might benefit.

Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District in the center of the state. It includes a region called the Black Belt, which has some of the poorest counties in the Southeast and the nation.

A recent national study on county-by-county health rankings published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that several counties in Davis’ district had high poverty, inadequate access to primary care doctors and a large numbers of uninsured residents.

Sumter, Hale and Greene counties had less than half the number of doctors recommended for their size populations, and 13 percent to 16 percent of the residents were uninsured, the survey showed.

Saving money my Donkey.  If it were about saving money they wouldn't be appealing  the Victory Land verdict.  Heck, they wouldn't have closed Victory Land in the first place.

If the cries of Montgomery politicians under indictment don’t generate sympathy, certainly the lamentation of unemployed workers in the Black Belt does. One effect of the bribe-induced Riley-Canary war on bingo in Alabama is the closure of bingo operations in Greene, Macon and Houston Counties, that employed literally thousands of workers, and brought millions of dollars annually to local government treasuries. We all wish that overwhelmingly black Greene and Macon Counties had bulldozers clearing land for new automotive and electronics plants, or for high-powered biology labs or computer engineering firms, but that’s the progress of the next generation. Right now, those counties are absolutely dependent on the entertainment and gaming business for their economic survival, and Obama’s what-me-worry attitude about Canary has placed that survival in jeopardy. Even in the white-majority Wiregrass, it’s probably safe to assume that Country Crossing employed a fair number of African-Americans in its service sector jobs. Had Bob Riley needed to worry about a U.S. Attorney with integrity in Montgomery, he would likely not have earned his Mississippi Choctaw bribes by shutting down the bingo halls, and the Legislature would probably have put a bingo referendum on this November’s ballot.

This is why EYE weep for the residents of Alabama's Black Belt, our state, and our country.

You’re either going to treat us right, or we’re going to withdraw from you our economic support,We intend to boycott Christmas, but not Jesus,”said Farrakhan. “So on Black Friday, we won’t be there.”‪#‎JusticeOrElse‬ #NotOneDime